Conveying means



Jan. 30, 1962 Original Filed June 24, 1953 F. E. VAN DUSEN CONVEYINGMEANS FIG. 1

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. FREDER/CKE M zvflusslv 1962 F. E. VAN DUSEN3,01

CONVEYING MEANS Original Filed June 24. 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l N V ENTOR. finale/m5. MINDl/JEN ATTORNEY! Jan. 30, 1962 F,E.VAN DUSENCONVEYING MEANS Ori i a1 Filed June 24 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 HVVENTUR.FREDERICKE imvflwrw %(mqllLMiM Av-TORNE Y6 Jan. 30, 1962 F. E. VAN DUSENCONVEYING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed June 24, 1955 INVENTOR.fkmmlc/(tllq/vbz/mv Uited States Patent ice 3,019,005 V V CONVEYINGMEANS Frederick E. Van Dusen, Wayzata, Minn., assignor, by mesneassignments, to Vandals Corporation, Long Lake, Mium, a corporation ofMinnesota 7 A V A Original application June 24, 1953, Ser. No. 363,750,now Patent No. 2,888,253, dated May 26, 1959. Divided and thisapplication Jan. 8, 1959, Ser. No. 785,707 3 Claims. (Cl. 262-49) augermeans for shredding a surface layerof fibrous material and for theconveying of such layer.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and usefulspiral or helical conveyor. 7

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a helicalconveyor having knife means athxed to the periphery of the flightthereof.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of spacedknife segments positioned at-intervals around the periphery of theflight of a helical conveyor.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a helicalconveyor having shredding means attached adjacent the periphery of theflight thereof and a second rotary shredding means positioned at theinitial endof said helical conveyor.

Other and further objects of this invention reside in the provision of apaddle wheel cutting and shredding means positioned adjacent the initialend of a helical conveyor and rotatable in cooperation therewith and inthe specific constructional details of said paddle wheel shredding meansand the constructional details of the conveyor flight and the knifemeans positioned adjacent the periphery thereof.

Other objects of the invention are those apparent and inherent in theapparatus as described, pictured and claimed.

This invention will be described with reference to the drawings in whichcorresponding numerals refer to the same parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view, partially insection, of a silo unloader embodying the helical conveying means of theinstant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional viewtaken along the line and in thedirection of the arrows 22 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation of the helical conveying means and showingthe wall cleaning means attached thereto; 7

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view of aportion of a silo' and of the unloader of FIGURE 1 and showing theplanview of the helical conveying means;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line and in thedirection: of the arrows 5- 5 of- FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 6 is an isometric diagrammatic viewof the silo unloader showingthe drive means for a helical conveying means;

FIGURE 7' i a top plan view; partially in section, showing a modifiedform of the helical conveying means of the" instant invention;

3,019,905 Patented Jan. 30, 1962 FIGURE 8 is a view taken along the lineand in the direction of the arrows 3- 8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a view takenalong the line and in the direction of thearrows 9---9 of FIGURE 8; and

FIGURE 10 is a view taken along the line and in the direction of thearrows 10 -10 of FIGURE 7.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG- URE 1, there isshown a silo unloader generally designated 10, which is adapted to be;positioned in a silo 11 having a vertical cylindrical wall. At thispoint, it may be noted, that my invention will be explained withreference to a silo unloader and will be illustrated as embodied in asilo having a cylindrical vertical wall. In this embodiment the helicalconveying means is rotated about the center of the silo. However, it isto be understood that my improvement in helical conveying meanspossesses utility apart from this embodiment in a silo unloader and maybe placed on wheels for propulsion or may be used together with otherstructure as desired, all within the spirit and scope of this invention.7

The unloader 10 is supported from a cable 13 having one end attached toa suitable support at the upper end of the silo and the other endattached to a means for gradually lowering the unloader in the silogenerally designated 14. l

Referring now to FIGURE 4, the helical conveyor assernbly generallydesignated 16 operates as aradial gathering arm. comprising a framehaving an angle member 17 as shown best in FIGURE 5 and a strap member18. Angle member 17 is joined to intake hub generally designated 28% bymeans of bolts 21 as best seen with reference to FIGURE 4, and extends ashort distance to the left thereof, as is seen best with reference toFIGURE 4, showing the angle member 17 terminated at 22. Attached to theend 22 by bolts 23 is an extending rod 24, upon which counterweight 25,having a set screw 26, is adapted to slide. Thus, the counterweight maybe slid toward and away from the intake hub on rod 24 and will providean adjustable counterweight or counterbalance for the helical conveyoror auger assembly 16, as is well known. The other end of the anglemember 17 is welded or otherwise secured to end 27 of strap member 18 at28, end 27 being bent at right angles to strap member 13, all as shownbest with reference to FIGURE 5. As may be seen best with reference toFIGURE 4, the member 18 takes the configuration shown therein and isadditionally connected to the angle member 17 by braces 30 and 31, whichserve to connect members 17 and 18 at points approximately V3 of the wayinward from each end. End 32 of member 18 is also connected to theintake hub 20 by bolts 33. As is shown by FIG- URE 4, the angle member17 of the auger or helical drive assembly 16 and the strap member 18 ofthe auger assembly 16 are connected respectively to opposite sides ofintake hub 20.

Connected to the horizontal flange of angle member 17 by bolts 35, oneof which is shown in FIGURE 2, is an auger shi eld 36 of theconfiguration shown in FIG- URE 2 and which extends longitudinally alongthe entire le gth of the auger as maybe seen with reference to FIG- URE4. Disposed on: the outer' or rightward end of the auger assembly withreference to FIGURES l and 2 is" an outer bearing suppo'rt- 'lhi s'support is of the confignration best shown in FIGURE 2 and is bolted toend 27" by means of bolts 38. It is provided with an inwardly extendinghorizontal flange 89 Flange 89 is aperture'd at the center thereof andguide wheel 90 is journalled on a vertical axis for rotation thereover'.Wheel 90 is positioned so as to contact the wall 11 of the silo and tor0111 thereon and guide the auger assembly therearou'nd as is shown bestwith reference to FIGURES r and 4. At the saiiie time, the force of thewheerao serted a cotter key, also not shown.

pushes the entire mechanism 10 a little otf-center, as shown best inFIGURE 4. An aperture is provided in depending portion 91 of the outerbearing support 37 in which is inserted a bearing block 92. This bearingblock may be attached thereto in any suitable manner. Also attached toend 27 by bolts 38 is an advance wheel support bracket 93. Bracket 93has a forwardly and downwardly extending end 94 on which is journalledadvance wheel 95 for rotation about a horizontal axis. Advance wheel 95,as illustrated in FIGURE 2, is adapted for rolling on the surface of theensilage E of the silo and hence serves partially to support the augerassembly thereon and guide the same thereover, as the assembly isrotated in the direction of the arrow of FIGURE 4.

A pusher brace 98 has a strap 99 welded or otherwise secured to end 100and is maintained in position with reference to end 27 by bolts 38passing through apertures therein as is shown best with reference toFIGURE 5. Thus, FIGURE shows end 27, outer bearing support 37 positionedadjacent thereto and strap 99 positioned between outer bearing support37 and advance wheel bracket 93. Bracket 93, strap 99, support 37 andend 27 of strap 18 are all apertured for the passage there through ofbolts 38.

Tubular pusher brace 98 has a hook 102 welded or otherwise secured inend 103 thereof as is shown best with reference to FIGURE 4. Hook 102 isof standard construetion and is provided with an aperture at theterminating end, not shown, through which is adapted to be in- Hook 102is passed through an aperture in protruding car 104 of drive hub shaftbearing 105. Bearing 105 has a bearing surface not shown in which drivehub shaft 101 is journalled for rotation. A collar 106 is provided ondrive hub shaft 101 which prevents any inward radial movement of bearing105 thereon. Key 107 is welded into a slot or otherwise secured to drivehub shaft 101 and spaced apart from collar 106 as shown best withreference to FIGURE 4. Washer 103 is retained in the drive hub shaft 101by the key 107 and thus collar 106 and washer 108 serve as limitsurfaces for the inward and outward radial movement of bearing 105.

The drive hub 109 has a central boss 110 which is provided with atransverse keyway 111 which is adapted for cooperation with key 107whereby the hub will be keyed to the shaft so that the rotation of theshaft will rotate the drive hub. Boss 110 is maintained in position sothat way 111 maintains cooperation with key 107 by the action of collar112 which is in turn maintained in position on shaft 101 by means of aset screw. Drive hub 109 is of a configuration shown best with referenceto FIGURE 4, and is provided with a plurality of extending ribs 120. Thedrive hub is usually cast of hollow construction and provided with thebell-shaped ribs 120. If desired, inner strengthening webs 114 may becast integrally with the drive hub. The plug weight 115 having a centeraperture therein is forced into the end of the drive hub and hencefrictionally maintained in position as is shown in FIGURE 4. A collar116 is disposed on the outward end of shaft 101, and serves to provideadditional security for the plug 115. The plug weight 115 serves tocause an additional traction upon the drive hub 109 and hence aids theribs 120 in gripping the top surface of the ensilage E as the hub drivesthe apparatus in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG- URE 4. Shaft101, as may be seen best with reference to FIGURE 4, is provided with ahook 121 at the inner end thereof. Hook 121 is inserted throughuniversal joint 122 and maintained thereon by the use of a cotter keyand washer assembly similar to that described for hook 102, as is wellknown.

A guide rod 125 is provided having upon one end a wheel adapted toengage the wall 11 of the silo as explained more fully in my co-pendingapplication and having at the other end an angle flange 126, which iswelded or otherwise secured thereto. Flange 126 is secured to intake hub20 by the center one of the bolts 33 which also serves to secure strap32 thereto as shown in FIG- URE 4. A brace 127 is shown in fragmentaryform in FIGURE 4 and is connected to rod adjacent the caster wheelprovided on its outward end and is connected at the other end with anangle flange 132 welded or otherwise secured thereto and which is inturn secured to strap 18 at its juncture with brace 31 by a bolt 131 allas shown in FIGURE 4.

As may be seen best with reference to FIGURE 1, the auger generallydesignated 133 comprises an auger spiral or flight 134, and a hollowshaft 137 having rods 135 and 136 welded or pinned to the interiorthereof. Rod 136 is seated in bearing block 92 and at the exterior endthereof and is provided with a wall cleaner 138 which is provided with aplurality of knives 140, in this particular instance being six innumber, situated on the wall cutter hub 141, all as shown best inFIGURES l and 3. The knives 140 are shown as being inclined downwardlyand inwardly from the wall 11 or leftwardly with reference to FIGURE 7,but it is to be understood that these knives may be of other incline oredge configuration without departing from the spirit and scope of thisinvention.

Secured to the spiral 134 at the inner end thereof is a paddle comprisedof two paddle arms 142 and 143. Arms 142 and 143 are rectangular andstrap-like in nature, as may be seen with reference to FIGURE 1, andextend outwardly from the shaft 137, in opposite directions, paddle 142being secured to the terminal end 144 of spiral 134. The paddle armshelp to toss the ensilage that is gathered toward the center of the siloby auger 133 in the direction of the arrows in FIGURE 1. Secured to theauger shaft 135 by a pin or set screw is auger drive gear 145. Alsosecured to the rod 135 at the end thereof is a worm 146 pinned or keyedthereto. An auger drive gear housing 147 provides oppositely disposedbearing bosses 148 and 149 in which rod 135 is seated for rotation. Awasher 150 is disposed between the flight 134 and boss 149, and gear 145is disposed within the interior of the housing 147, the interior edgesof bosses 148 and 149 limiting its axial movement, and worm 146, asmentioned previously, is disposed on end of shaft 135 and externally tothe housing 147.

The spiral auger 134 is provided with a plurality of cutting knives 151at the outer edges thereof. Thus, in FIGURE 1, there is shown aplurality of knives 151 riveted to the periphery of spiral 134, theknives being provided with an edge 153 inclined outwardly with referenceto a direction opposite the direction of rotation as shown by the arrowin FIGURE 2. Cutters 151 loosen frozen ensilage and grass ensilage andare extremely efiicient in chopping up the ensilage.

Underneath the worm 146 a drip pan 154 is provided to retain any greasefrom worm 146 and to prevent ensilage from being entangled therewith.Pan 154 is secured to housing 147 by bolts 156, one of which is shown inFIGURE 1. Housing 147 is secured to the intake hub 20 by means of bolts,not shown. A filler plate 159 is sandwiched between housing 147 andintake hub 20. Filler plate 159 is provided with a bearing 160 at thecenter thereof, bearing 160 being supported by plate 159. Plate 159 ismaintained in the sandwiched position between intake hub 20 and housing147 by a plurality of bolts, some passing upwardly from housing 147, andsome passing downwardly from hub 20, not shown. These bolts may beprovided in any suitable place and in sufiicient number to maintainhousing 147, filler plate 159 and intake hub 20 readily in contact withone another, the surfaces of these elements being machined wherever theymeet.

The circular exterior portion of hub 20 is machined at the top thereofto provide a recessed portion 167 and a cylindrical lip 168. Recess 167and lip 168 are adapted for cooperation with a corresponding lip 170 andrecess 171 which are provided on split collar I72. Respective lips andrecesses of collar 172 and hub 20 are machined so as to provide abearing assemblyfor the rotation of hub 20 in collar I72. Collar 172 isfirmly secured to blower housing. 173 by a plurality of bolts 174'secured around the periphery thereof. I

Blower housing 173 is provided with a pedestal 174 on which sets motor175. Itis'- also provided with a discharge spout- 176. Motor 175 isprovided with a shaft which is connected to acentral shaft 177 whichrotates an impeller 188 and also rotates worm gear 178 (shown best inFIGURE 6) for the rotation of auger drive gear 145 and hence for therotation of the auger 134. Worm gear 178 is keyed to the shaft 177 or isaffixed thereto by other suitable means.

With respect particularly to FIGURES 1 and 6, it may be seen that as theshaft 177 is driven by the motor 175, the worm 178 serves to drive augerdrive gear 145 which is turn drives worm 146, which by engagement withgear 181 which in turn rotates universal 122 will cause the rotation ofthe drive hub 109. Shaft 182 is supported in a pillow block 183 which isbolted to the underside of angle member 17 as may best be seen withreference to FIGURE 1. The impeller 188 ismounted on shaft 177 and thespiral flight thereof carries ensilage upwardly as shown by the arrowsin FIGURE 1.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 7-10, there is shown themodification of my helical conveying means in which two augers areprovided for rotation in a direction opposite to one another so as tofeed ensilage in an inward direction therebetween. Thus, with referenceto FIGURE 7, it may be seen that there is provided feed augers 200 and201. Feed auger 200 is constructed exactly the same as auger 133, feedauger 201 is constructed similarly thereto except that the spiral runsin the reverse direction as may be seen with reference to FIGURE 7. Bothof these augers are provided with cutting knives or teeth 202 and 203similar to teeth 151. Thus, knives 202 are identical with knives 151 andknives 203 are likewise identical except that they are positionedreversely in accordance with the reverse positioning of auger 201 withreference thereto. Both of these angers are also provided with paddlearms 142 and 143 as explained with reference to the modification ofFIGURES l-6.

Thus, when auger 201 rotates in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 10,and when auger 200 rotates in the direction of the arrow shown in FIGURE10 ensilage will be fed from the right to the left-in FIGURE 7therebetween. In this modified form the advance wheel support bracket isdesignated 204 and is similar to advance wheel support bracket 93 exceptthat it is elongated and provided with an inward end so as to provide asupport for bearing block 205. A supporting angle 206 is welded to anglemember 17 and strap member 18 and projects. over strap member 18 as maybe seen with reference to FIGURE 7. Also, in this modified form, as maybe seen with reference to FIGURE 7, it is necessary to weld or otherwisesecure the rod 127 in position on strap member slightly higher than thatshown in FIGURE 4 so that clearance is obtained for the rotation ofauger 201. It may be stated at this time that central bearings may beprovided as at angle 206 for the augers 200 and 201 if desired and anadditional wall wheel or cleaner similar to wheel 90 may be provided forauger 201, all within the spirit and scope of this invention.

It may be seen with reference to FIGURES 8 and 9 that the housing in themodified form (similar to h0using 147) has been enlarged so as toprovide a housing which covers not only the gear 145 for auger 133 (inthe modified form, auger 200) but so as to enclose gear 207 which isoppositely disposed to gear 145 and operated by worm 178. Gear 207 isfixedly attached to shaft 208 as is sprocket 209 which is keyed thereto.A similar sprocket 210 is attached to the end of shaft 211 of auger 201as shown in FIGURE 9. In this modified form, the pillow block 212 isshown encompassed in the housing. 7 In; the operation of the modifiedform, shown in FIG- URES 7-10, the augers rotate towardone another asshown by the arrows in FIGURE 10 and gather the ensilage to force it infrom a direction from right to left as shown in FIGURE 7 and thence intothe intake in a manner similar to thatdescribed for the operation of theform shown in 1-6. Referring now par ticularly to FIGURES 1-6, it may beseen that the counterweight 25 may he slid backwardly and forwardly onbar 24 to counterbalance the weight of the auger assem bly 16. As may beseen best with reference to FIGURE 6, the rotation of the drive shaft'177 of the motor rotates the Worm 178. Rotation of the worm gear 1'78causes the rotation of the auger 133, or as in the case of the modifiedform shown in FIGURES 7-10, the rotation of augers 200 and 201. Rotationof the auger 133 causes also the rotation of worm 146 which rotates wormgear 181 and through the universal coupling 122 the drive hub 109 in thedirection shown by the arrow in FIGURE 4.

As the drive hub 109 rotates in the direction shown by the arrows on theshaft thereof, it will walk around and around in a directioncounterclockwise with reference to FIGURE 4. Advance wheel 95 will rollon the surface of the ensilage as may be seen with reference to FIGURE 2and wheel will roll on the inner surface of the silo Wall as shown inFIGURE 4. As wheel 90 and wheel engage the inner surface of the silowall and the surface of the ensilage respectively and hub 109 causesrotation of the auger, the whole silo unloader will shift its axialposition with reference to the silo center since it is positionedeccentrically with respect thereto as may be seen with reference toFIGURE 4, wherein it may be noted that auger 133 is of an extension thatis greater than the radius dimension of the silo. Consequently, as theauger is rotated in the silo the axial center of ensilage in the silo isalways engaged by the auger spiral 134 and consequently no amount ofundelivered ensilage will be left in the center thereof as the unloaderoperates. The teeth or cutters 151 on the outer edge of the spiral serveto cut, chip or shred any ensilage which may be frozen and to provide astart for the engagement of the auger flight with the ensilage E. Thewall cleaner 138 is provided with blades 140 as may be best seen withreference to FIGURE 1 which serve to insure that no ledge of ensilage isretained in position next to the wall 11.

As many apparently widely differing embodiments of this invention may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to beunderstood that I do not limit myself to the specific embodimentsdisclosed herein.

What is claimed is:

1. In a silo unloader or the like, an elongated conveying means adaptedto be positioned upon the surface of ensilage within a silo forconveying ensilage substantially radially of the silo, said conveyingmeans having an outer end adapted to be positioned adjacent the wall ofthe silo and an inner end adapted to be positioned substantiallycentrally of the silo, means for rotating said conveying means about avertical axis positioned substan tially at its inner end, said conveyingmeans including a spiral flight, knife rneans secured to portions of theperiphery of said spiral flight in spaced relation, at one side thereofand extending therebeyond and said knife means being generally inclinedin a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the spiralflight so that the cutting edge thereof intersects said spiral flight atits leading end and is in spaced relation thereto at its trailing end.

2. In a silo unloader or the like, an elongated conveying means adaptedto be positioned upon the surface of ensilage within a silo forconveying ensilage substantially radially of the silo, said conveyingmeans having an outer end adapted to be positioned adjacent the wall ofthe silo and an inner end adapted to be positioned substantiallycentrally of the silo, means for rotating said conveying means about avertical axis positioned substantially at its inner end, said conveyingmeans including a spiral flight, and substantially flat knife blademembers secured to said spiral flight at intervals along its periphery,said substantially flat knife blade members having linearly extendingsharpened edges which extend substantially parallel to the portion ofsaid spiral flight 10 tending sharpened edges of said flat knife blademembers are inclined against the direction of rotation of said spiralflight wherein the leading edge of said linearly extending bladeintersects the periphery of said spiral 5 flight and the trailing edgeis spaced therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,336,440 OToole Apr. 13, 1920 1,570,085 Saxe Jan. 19, 1926 1,867,245Bailey July 12, 1932 2,651,438 Peterson Sept. 8, 1953 2,677,474 Long May4, 1954

